Managing Cache Variations in Web Development with Custom Headers

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Exploring efficient cache key management in web development, including the use of custom headers like Netlify Vary and CDN standards such as Vary header to control cache variations based on user requests, cookies, and device types. The chapter also touches on the limitations of some CDNs in supporting these features and mentions exclusive cache key availability on CloudFlare for enterprise clients.

Scott and Wes dive into the cache problem, tackling user-specific data and caching security. From marketing A/B testing to content negotiation, they explore various challenges and solutions, including different URL/query parameters, edge logic, and client-side caching.

Show Notes

00:00 Welcome to Syntax!
01:22 Syntax is on YouTube.
02:16 Let’s talk about the cache problem.
03:33 User-specific data and caching security.
06:27 Why might this pop up?
- 06:29 Marketing A/B testing - cookie based.
- 06:55 User-selected features - such as themes.
- 06:58 Language or geo-based items - accept language.
- 07:11 Images - WebP for some browsers, jpg for others.
- 07:45 JSON/HTML based on accept header.
- 08:17 Different encoding.
08:26 Content negotiation.
08:54 The solutions.
- 09:04 Provide different URLs/Query parameter.
- 11:19 Don’t cache the page, cache the data based on query.
- 15:01 Implement a “Cache Key” - one render for every option.
- Netlify
- Fastly
- Cloudflare
- 18:17 Use edge logic.
- 19:52 Just do it client-side.